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Obituaries

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WILKES-BARRE - New rules will govern city council meetings, including one that runs afoul of the ACLU.

Council passed the first reading of two ordinances that change procedures for speaking at meetings.

One ordinance changes where speakers can address council - a change necessitated after the speaker's dais was moved behind the rail between council and the audience.

Another rule says speakers must register to speak before the meeting. City officials said they have researched what is allowed and that the change is within their authority, but an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union said that new rule would be against the law.

Residents who want to address the council during the public discussion portion of the meeting must register before the meeting begins, according to the ordinance.

The change would not apply to people who want to address council about pending legislation before members vote, said council President Bill Barrett said.

Registration can happen anytime before the start of the meeting, he said. In fact, frequent critic Bob Kadluboski said he planned to register to speak at meetings for a year in advance.

Barrett said Tuesday that people signing up in the middle of the meeting has been a disruption and that people who enter the meeting after it has begun might talk about a subject that's already been discussed or voted on.

"We felt disruptions during the speaking portion were not something that was needed," he said.

ACLU attorney Mary Catherine Roper said she believes the change would be illegal.

The ACLU sent a letter in August 2010 to Wilkes-Barre council and city attorneys after residents contacted the organization about the city's public meetings. That letter said "Council may not limit the residents to speaking on the topics they identify before the meeting, or before speaking, and may not bar speakers who did not sign up ahead of the meeting."

Other Luzerne County cities don't currently have rules that require speakers sign up before the meeting, according to officials at those cities. Nanticoke's council and mayor, however, are considering adopting procedures that would include time limits and require residents sign up to speak before the meeting, said city clerk Mary Cheshinski.

In other news, council vacated a section of an unnamed alley between Blackman and Parrish streets. The area is a trash dumping ground, and a Blackman Street resident has been cleaning up the garbage and wants to own the property, said city clerk Jim Ryan.

Council also suspended open container laws on one section of Public Square for the Fine Arts Fiesta. Blue Mountain Vineyards gave small wine tastings at its vendor booth last year and will do so again this year between May 15 and 18.

The meeting began with a presentation to family members of former Mayor Lee Namey, who passed away March 3.

bwellock@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2051, @CVBillW

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